Collapsible crate.



JJ f No. 858.403; v PATENTEVD JULY 2, 1907. y N1 & E. c. LITTLE".l

GOLLAPSIBLB CRATE.

APPLIOATION PILBDANov. 16.1905. v

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APPLICATION FILED NOV. 16. 1905.

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9 zz/Yaya. lll 7 l, Il). -I f@ I /9 /f vUNITED STATES Specification ofLetters Patent.

PATENT ormoni.

ooLLAPsIBLE CRATE.

Patented July 2, 1907.

Application led November 16, 1905. Serial NU- 237,708.

To all whom it may concern: l

Be it known that we, NATHANIEL LITTLE and EvnNen- LINE C. LITTLE,citizens of the United States, residing at Ames, in the county of Storyand State of Iowa, have in` vented certain new anduseful Improvements inCollapsible Crates; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

Our invention relates to collapsible crates and its object is to providea light and durable device of this character adapted to be folded into acompact bundle and which can be formed of thin material, holding meansbeing utilized which serve the purpose of reinforcing the sides andbottom of the Crate.

Another object is to provide novel means for fastening the crate whenthe same is set up.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of abottom having flanges secured to the sides and ends thereof and totheend flanges are hinged end walls adapted to fold inward on the bottomand having grooves in their side edges. Side walls are hinged to theside flanges and are provided with angle irons at their ends forextending into the grooves in the end walls. Angle irons are alsodisposed at the centers of the side wallsl for engaging a partitionlocated on the bottom of the crate and means are employed for lockingthese angle irons to the partition so as to bind all parts of the cratetogether. A cover is provided which not only serves as a cover for thecrate when set up but also serves to close the crate and hold the partsin place when the device is collapsed.

'lhe invention also consists of the further novel features ofconstruction and combination of parts, the preferred form whereof willbe hereinafter more clearly described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings we have shown the preferred form of ourinvention.

In said drawings-Figure 1 is a perspective view of our crate. Fig. 2 isa vertical, longitudinal section therethrough. Fig. 3 is a plan view ofthe crate with the cover removed. Fig. 4 is a section on line x-x Fig.2, and, Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section through the crate collapsed.

Referring to the figures by numerals of reference, `1 is a crate bottomhaving end flanges 2 and side flanges 3, said side flanges being higherthan the end flanges. An intermediate cross strip 4 is secured upon thebottom and has pins 5 extending upward from it which are adapted toproject into recesses 6 formed in the bottom of a partition 7 Thispartition has grooves 8 and 9 disposed longitudinally in its side edges,and extending throughout the length of the partition 7. These groovesare adapted to receive angle irons l0 and l1 which are fastened to theinner faces of side walls 12 and 13, said j side walls being hinged tothe flanges 3 and adapted to fold inward. The iron l0 has a series ofears extending from it and the side wall l2 has slots 14 along itscenter when collapsed, as shown in Fig. 5. Locking pins 15 are connectedto the partition 7 by means of a cord 16 and these pins are adapted toextend transversely through the-grooves 8 and 9 and to engage the ironsl0 and 1l so as to lock the sides l2 and 13 to the partition. End walls17 are hinged to the end flanges 2 and are provided in their side edgeswith grooves 18 adapted to receive angle irons 19 secured upon the innerfaces of walls 12 and 13 at their ends. The slotted wall 12 is slightlyshorter than the wall 13 so that whenthe two walls are caused to overlapthe angle irons of the wal1l3 will overlap the ends of the wall l2 andpermit the two walls to lie close together, as shown in Fig. 5.

The end flanges 2 are recessed as shown at 20 to receive catches 21depending from the end flanges 22 of the cover 23 and notches 24 arealso formed within the end walls 17 and adapted to be engaged by saidcatches. Reinforcing straps 25 are preferably secured upon the ends ofthe flanges 2 and 3 so that the same will be held rigidly connected. Thelower edges of the side walls are preferably beveledas Ishown at 26 sothat said walls can be swung downward to permit the angle irons thereonto clear the partition and end walls. Side flanges 27 extend downwardlyfrom the cover and are adapted to overlap the side walls of the cratewhen the same is set up. i

When it is desired to collapse the crate herein described, the cover isdetached therefrom by pulling outwardly on the catches 21. Pins l5 arethen withdrawn from the partition 7 and the side walls 12 and 13 areswung apart so that their angle irons will be disengaged from the partsin which they are seated. Partition 7 is then raised from pins 5 andplaced upon the bottom between the cross strip 4 and one of the endflanges after which the end walls 17 are swung inward and the side wallsare folded inward with the wall 13 on top and its angle iron l0projecting into the slot 14. The cover is then replaced and its catches2l will engage the notches 20 in the end flanges 2 and said cover willsecurely hold all of the parts in collapsed position.

Sufficient space is formed in the collapsed crate to receive excelsior,card .board cells, and other material such as often usediin crates.

By using the angle irons for engaging the end walls and holding all ofthe walls together in proper relation, the side walls can be made ofvery thin material without sacrificing the strength of the crate becausethe peculiar shape of these angle irons absolutely prevents the bendingof the sides longitudinally. Moreover, the angle irons 10 and llconstitute a very simple means of fastening the partsl of the cratetogether.

into which the ears of iron 10 are adapted to project Having thus fullydescribed our invention, what We claim as new and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is

1. A collapsible crate comprising a bottom having end flanges and sideflanges of greater height, an intermediate cross strip having upwardlyextending pins upon its upper edge, a partition removably secured uponsaid cross strip and having recesses to receive said pins, saidpartition having grooves disposed longitudinally in its side edges andextending the whole length of said partition, said Walls hinged to saidside flanges, angle irons on the inner faces of said side Walls andengaged in said grooves, one of said angle irons having a series of earsand the adjacent side wall having slots at its center into which saidears project when the crate is collapsed.

2. A collapsible crate comprising a bottom having end flanges and sideflanges of greater height, an intermediate cross strip having upwardlyextending pins upon its upper edge, a partition removably secured uponsaid cross strip and having recesses to receive said pins, saidpartition having grooves disposed longitudinally in its side edges andextending the whole length o1 said partition, said walls hinged to saidside iianges, angle irons on the inner faces of said side walls andengaged in said grooves, one of said angle irons having a series of earsand the adjacent side Wall having slots at its center into which saidears project when the crate is collapsed, and locking pins con nected tosaid partition and extended transversely through said grooves andengaging the angle irons to' lock the sido walls to said partition.

In testimony whereof We have signed our naines to this speciication inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

NATHANUEL LITTLE. EVANGELlNE C. I'll'llLll.

Witnesses H. E. SLA'rTERr, L. M. Boswon'ru.

